Year: 2012

Google Drive iOS app to gain native editing capabilities

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 5, 2012

Google earlier today accidentally (or intentionally, perhaps?) published a post meant to accompany an upcoming update to its Drive cloud storage client for iOS and Android devices. The new version, which should go live in just a few days, brings with it the ability to edit documents right inside the app, making the app much more useful, especially to avid Google Docs users who keep their presentations, spreadsheets and documents in the Google cloud.

Previously, there was no way to natively edit your Google documents in-app. You can always edit your documents online via the Safari browser, but that experience is not satisfactory due to sluggishness and the clumsy interface that lacks full capabilities of its desktop counterpart.

The updated iOS client should also let you view Google presentations on the device. Full changelog, courtesy of the Google cache, is right after the break...

MagSkin review and giveaway: keep your iPhone hanging in all the right places

Jim Gresham ∙ September 5, 2012

Inspired by a cord covered kitchen counter, MagSkin's humble beginnings centered around a hobby project for friends. MagSkin's founder took a small sheet of adhesive magnet and applied it to the back of an iPhone. Following encouraging words from admirers, MagSkin headed to Kickstarter to find interested investors.

MagSkin successfully raised $2,000 more than necessary with 353 backers. Now, we can all enjoy slapping our iPhone on any magnetic surface and five lucky winners will be able to take one home for free...

Apple says it had nothing to do with leaked UDIDs

Cody Lee ∙ September 5, 2012

A few nights ago, a group of hackers known as AntiSec published a list of over 1 million Apple device IDs. The group says it obtained the UDIDs, and tons of other information, from the laptop of an FBI agent.

Yesterday, the FBI released a statement, saying that there was no evidence indicating that an FBI laptop was compromised, or that its agents collected the data. And today, Apple commented on the situation...

Apple to exclusively sell 9-pin dock connector adapter

Ed Sutherland ∙ September 5, 2012

Apple could cash in to the tune of $100 million soon after it unveils upcoming devices with the new 9-pin dock connector. The Cupertino, Calif. company intends to be initially the only game in town for Apple fans, exclusively selling the adapters at $10 a pop, reports say.

The company will also sell Apple-branded USB cables for $19 each. This is in line with the MagSafe to Magasafe 2 converter cable Apple sells for $9.99 and the iPhone Micro USB adapter for $11 and $13.

Nokia pre-empts iPhone 5 with new Lumias rocking Windows Phone 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Software giant Microsoft and former cell phone champion Nokia held a press conference earlier today in a very wet New York City. Nokia is attempting to re-boot its ailing smartphone biz with some sleek new Lumia handsets, with a little help from its pal Microsoft and its new Windows Phone 8 operating system. It pays to keep tabs on what competition is doing and it's always exciting watching good ol' Windows maker playing a catch up in mobile.

With that in mind, the presser was basically a pre-emptive tease against the massive iPhone 5 launch due next Wednesday. Interestingly, Nokia hasn't shied away from criticizing Samsung for failing to deliver a working Windows Phone 8 phone. Conspicuously enough, Nokia itself did not announce price points or shipping dates for the new Lumias.

Perhaps it would have been better to hold this event a month from now? Be that as it may, Microsoft will hopefully play its cards right and over time establish Windows Phone as a third viable platform. I'm all for it: some balance to the force is needed as it's been disrupted lately by Android's relentless march. Here's what's new from the Microkia camp...

iPhone 5 reportedly leaks out of Foxconn plant, gets caught on video

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 25, 2016

As we approach the big event next Wednesday, leaks related to Apple's next iPhone are multiplying with each passing day. Just a few minutes ago, a new report went online claiming that someone in China has been able to get their hands on an actual iPhone 5 unit. They made quite a believable video to prove it and it looks legit.

Best of all, the clip shows a white device with a taller display booting next to an iPhone 4S, giving us a good indication of the increased speed of the iPhone 5, courtesy of its rehashed, low-power dual-core variant of the A5 chip, souped up with 1GB of RAM. Have a look, the clip is right after the break..

iOS 6 may bring iBooks to Apple TV

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Until now, Apple TV seemed to assume the role of livingroom entertainment center. However, the device may soon find a new home: the classroom. The latest beta of iOS 6 suggests Apple could display digital textbooks on large in-class screens, vastly updating how schools teach.

The clue came in an error displayed when AppleInsider downloaded an e-book from Apple's iBookstore. Since the Apple TV unit shared the same iTunes account, a message appeared that an automatic download of the book failed because the device did not have the needed software. The iBooks software already exists for the iPhone and iPad...

Shocker: iPhone 5 almost identical in design to your iPhone 4/4S

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 5, 2012

There's been a lot of hoopla in the weeks building up to the next Wednesday's massive event that Apple's next iPhone won't be radically different to the existing iPhone 4/4S form factor, much to the delight of fans the world over (or horror, depending on where you're standing).

Our own little poll suggested that people continue to be torn over the issue of the iPhone 5 design. Nearly 55 percent of respondents voted for the leaked design featuring an all-metal backplate with plastic bands at the top and bottom for wireless and cellular antenna, in addition to the relocated headphone jack and a miniaturized dock connector. The remaining 45 percent said the design looked fugly as hell.

If you've been keeping your fingers crossed for a last-minute surprise from Apple, here comes a shocker: a new credible report reaffirms claims that the next iPhone won't look a whole lot different to the iPhone 4/4S form factor, sans a couple cosmetic changes and the two-tone thing on the back...

T-Mobile launches unlimited “4G” data plan

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

T-Mobile USA, the nation's fourth-largest wireless company and the sole major U.S. carrier without the iPhone, today announced new unlimited "4G" data plan, as promised last month. The new plan will set you back $20 a month if you're on T-Mobile's Value plan or $30 a month for those on the Classic voice and text plan.

The new plans do away with speed limits or bandwidth throttling, the carrier said. Though T-Mobile continues with its dubious practice of advertising its network and these new plans under the "4G" moniker, in the carrier's terminology this really means iPhone-compatible high-speed 3G HSPA+ as T-Mobile is way overdue with 4G LTE deployment...

Check out this interactive 3D model of iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 26, 2016

Ahead of the next week's iPhone 5 presser and a rumored mini iPad introduction in October, an interesting three-dimensional interactive model of Apple's rumored inexpensive, smaller iPad has hit the web this morning, based on leaked parts and several notable pieces of information that have been floating around the blogosphere.

All the rumors appear to point to a relocated headphone jack located next to the dock connector which, as you know, should be much smaller to allow for thinner designs, just like on the next iPhone. Based on this information, 3D artists created a highly-detailed 3D interactive model of the rumored mini iPad...

Alleged iPhone 5 cases pop up in AT&T’s internal accessory systems

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 5, 2012

Right on time, the first batch of cases modeled after the leaked two-tone iPhone 5 design are beginning to make an appearance at a major U.S. carrier. We wouldn't normally report on this, but this is AT&T, originally Apple's first and exclusive iPhone carrier in the United States.

Company of this size surely wouldn't screw customers by putting cases on store shelves that may not fit the final iPhone 5 design. With just a week until Apple's iPhone 5 presser, this is yet another indication that the two-tone design is in fact the real deal...

China Unicom rumored to get next-gen iPhone by year’s end

Cody Lee ∙ September 5, 2012

Since previous reports seemingly nailed the next-gen iPhone event date, it's safe to assume the predicted launch date is also accurate. Apple's next smartphone is expected to go on sale in the US on September 21st. When the handset will launch elsewhere, however, is still unknown.

Last year, the iPhone 4S launched Stateside in October, but it didn't hit some major markets like China until a good three months later. But according to a new report, that won't be the case this year. Industry insiders say that China Unicom will have the handset by December...